South Africa and Mozambique are closely tied, and many people here send money home every month to support family with rent, groceries, school fees, and the unexpected. You want it to arrive quickly, safely, and without losing too much along the way.
With Mama Money you can do all of that from your phone. You can send to a mobile wallet or straight to a bank account, with low, clear fees and no hidden costs. This guide shows you how to send money to Mozambique, the ways your family can receive it, what it costs, and how long it takes.
If you are new to Mama Money, here is how to get started and send your first transfer.
Download the Mama Money app on Google Play, the Apple App Store, or Huawei AppGallery, or register on WhatsApp at +27 60 091 5591. Use your passport, foreign ID, SA ID, or asylum or refugee document. No proof of address needed. Your account is activated within 24 hours.
Pick a mobile wallet (M-Pesa or E-Mola) or a bank deposit to a major Mozambican bank. You can choose whichever suits your recipient best.
For a mobile wallet, enter their name and mobile number. For a bank deposit, enter their bank account details.
Pay by EFT online, or with cash at a retail partner like Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Pep, Spar, and more. Check the fee and exchange rate shown in full, then confirm. You will get updates as the money moves.
Sending money home used to mean high fees, long queues, and slow waits. For families in Mozambique, especially in rural areas where banks are far away, that made a hard situation harder. Mama Money changes this. The money goes straight to a mobile wallet or a bank account, so there is no travel, no queue, and no carrying cash. Mobile wallets in particular have brought financial services within reach of people who live far from the nearest branch, which means your support arrives wherever your family is.
Your family can collect the money in the way that suits them best. Here are the two options and when each one works well.
Mobile wallet
Within minutes
Sent straight to your recipient's phone on M-Pesa or E-Mola. Great for fast, everyday support and for family in areas without a bank. New to wallets? See our guide to M-Pesa and E-Mola transfers.
Bank deposit
Same day to 1 business day
Deposited straight into the recipient's account at a major bank such as Millennium BIM, Banco Moza, or BCI. Best for larger or planned transfers.
Whichever way you choose, your transfer is secure and the amount your family receives is shown to you before you send. Not sure which to pick? Ask your family how they would prefer to collect the money. Many choose a mobile wallet for fast, everyday support because it arrives in minutes, and a bank deposit for larger amounts they want kept safely in an account.
Mama Money keeps fees low and clear, with no hidden costs. The fee depends on how much you send. Here is the full breakdown.
| Amount you send | Fee |
|---|---|
| R100 to R500 | R20 |
| R500 to R1,000 | R25 |
| R1,000 to R5,000 | 5% |
| R5,000 to R50,000 | R250 |
Fair and clear
You always see the exact fee and exchange rate before you confirm, so you know precisely how much will reach your family.
For example, if you send R1,000, the fee is 5%, so R50, and the rest is converted into meticais at the rate shown in your app. Because smaller amounts use a flat fee, sending R500 costs just R20. It pays to check which tier your amount falls into before you send.
It depends on how your family collects the money.
| Receive method | Typical arrival time |
|---|---|
| Mobile wallet (M-Pesa, E-Mola) | Within minutes |
| Bank deposit | Same day to one business day |
For urgent support, a mobile wallet is the fastest option. You can track your transfer in the Mama Money app at any time, so you always know where it is.
Getting started is simple. Here is everything you need.
That is it. Where many banks turn foreign nationals away, Mama makes it happen.
"Sending money home to Mozambique used to be stressful. Now it takes a few minutes on my phone and my family gets it the same day."
Paying is easy too. You can pay for your transfer by EFT from your own bank, or with cash at a retail partner near you, including Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Pep, Spar, Makro, Game, and Flash stores. That means you can send money home even if you do not use online banking, which keeps Mama Money open to everyone.
Send to a wallet or a bank, from your phone, with low clear fees. Money to a mobile wallet in minutes. Support the people you love in Mozambique, the fair and easy way.